Fire Companies Get Oxygen

Masks For Cats And Dogs

By Andrew Gorosko

To give cats and dogs a fighting chance at survival after they have been overcome by smoke inhalation, the town’s five volunteer fire companies are being supplied with specialized oxygen masks for pets.

Fire Marshal Bill Halstead said the town has received five sets of oxygen masks for the five fire companies, which will be used by firefighters at fires to revive pets overcome by smoke. The masks come in three sizes — feline, small canine, and large canine.

A laminated instruction card that accompanies the oxygen masks provides firefighters with information on how to best use the devices to revive pets, he said.

The equipment was provided free of charge to the town by the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association and by Best Friends Pet Care, Inc. The groups are seeking to supply all fire companies in the state with resuscitation equipment for cats and dogs.

Veterinarian Ned Schankman, the owner of Connecticut Equine Practice in Newtown, presented Mr Halstead with the 15 oxygen masks and related equipment.

The masks function like those used by humans but are shaped and sized to fit over animals’ snouts.

Although pets are at risk of smoke inhalation during residential fires, oxygen masks for humans do not fit properly on animals’ snouts, so many pets die of smoke inhalation, according to the association.

More than 35 fire departments in the state have received the specialized masks, so far, according to the association.

The masks also may be used with a compressible resuscitation bag to force air into animals’ lungs.

Chief Halstead said he expects the fire companies would carry the animal masks on the fire vehicles on which the masks would be most useful.